


As Time Goes By

by TheSpasticFantastic



Series: A Tale of Two Cities [4]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25118380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpasticFantastic/pseuds/TheSpasticFantastic
Summary: Iduna and Agnarr invite Elsa and Alarik over for a family dinner.
Relationships: Agnarr & Iduna (Disney), Agnarr/Iduna (Disney), Elsa (Disney)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: A Tale of Two Cities [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815652
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	As Time Goes By

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Fericita is the best beta-reader ever!

“I’m simply saying that a career in academia isn’t what it was thirty years ago,” Agnarr said as he placed the wine glasses on the table. He didn’t have to turn to know that Iduna was shaking her head with that loving, exasperated look. “I can’t tell you how many promising undergrads I’ve steered away from a masters in history. There just aren’t enough jobs any more. Good jobs, I mean. Not those adjunct traps. Some days I feel like I’m part of a ponzi scheme. Even at an Ivy League!”

“It’s a little different in STEM fields, dear.” She was tending to the smoked salmon in the kitchen. He snorted and joined her, opening a bottle of wine.

“Not different enough. Even Elsa went into industry.”

“Well, she prefers playing with numbers to research. Alarik feels differently. And molecular biology is a very different discipline.”

“What about the two-body problem? Hmm? You’re pretty relaxed given that he could wind up dragging our daughter across the country to California. Or back to Sweden.”

“Agnarr,” Iduna gave him her You’re-Being-An-Idiot look. “They’re not even engaged.”

He frowned. “When’s the last time she introduced us to someone? Something’s up. She’s probably pregnant.” 

Iduna laughed. “You said the same thing when Anna introduced us to Kristoff.”

“Was I wrong?”

“Neta is only two. They’ve been together eight years.” She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. “Don’t be such a grumpy old man about this. It would be a blessing if Elsa found someone to spend her life with.”

“She couldn’t find someone who’ll stay put?” He sighed and held his wife close. “He’s only got another year here for his post-doc. After that, who knows?”

“Darling, a lot can happen in a year. Be happy for your daughter.”

Agnarr scowled, kissed the top of her head and grabbed the plate of asparagus. “It figures you’d take his side, you know. You cellular-science types always stick together!”

“His interests aren’t in botany,” she sighed. “I believe he’s focused on the epigenetics of children who’ve experienced adverse events and how they manifest in the next generation. From what Elsa has said, it’s a rather fascinating mix of nature and nurture instead of nature versus nurture.”

“What else has she said about him?” He knew it was a little childish, but he liked to think that he was a bit closer to at least one daughter than his wife. He and Elsa had always been more alike. Studious, thoughtful – watching with mounting concern as Iduna and Anna got up to one kind of shenanigans or another. Like that bungee jumping fiasco at the shore. But the fact that she had moved in with her boyfriend had caught him completely by surprise. And the fact that it was of no surprise to Iduna . . .that hurt a little.

“Honestly, most of what I’ve heard comes from Anna,” Iduna had a small, wry smile as she joined him at the table. Sitting next to him, she took one of his large hands into hers and began to play with his fingers. “You know how she is about getting information out of her sister. I believe he has a younger brother, but doesn’t speak to his parents. He’s not one for fashion.” Agnarr huffed and Iduna ran her thumb in a circle on his palm as she gave a small shrug. “And Anna says he’s utterly devoted to Elsa. And that she’s very taken with him.”

“She’d have to be,” he muttered. “To give up living on her own.”

“Well, it’s been six months now. So I suppose they’re making it work.”

“Still, you’d think she would’ve mentioned moving in with him to me – to us, sooner.”

“Agnarr. They’ve been together nearly two years.” She tapped his nose and disappeared into the kitchen, returning with the wine. “And she did mention it to you in passing. You know how she is. You didn’t expect her to make a big deal of it, did you?”

“No,” he smiled. They had Anna for that. Who, at the age of nineteen, had declared that she would be _marrying_ this man someday, she was just sure of it, so could they not embarrass her _please_ only moments before introducing them to Kristoff. The wedding, four years prior, had been . . .extravagant. Agnarr sighed. “I suppose I should be grateful she didn’t just elope. I can just imagine the postcard. ‘Dear Dad. Did you see that cartoon in The New Yorker? Tom Gauld is brilliant. Rivals Charles Addams. Also, got married. Love, Elsa’.” It wasn’t as though his eldest was going to stand atop a balcony and sing out her love to the world.

He took the glass of wine his wife offered.

“Do you know what she said when I asked her about it?” Iduna asked, then took a sip from her glass and draped her arms around his shoulders. He smiled, placed his wine on the table, and put his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She rested her chin on top of his head.

“What did she say?”

“She said that she wanted to have what you and I have with someone.” He smiled and squeezed her gently before pulling back to gaze up at her face. She brought her forehead against his. “The same thing Anna said about Kristoff. And you have to admit, Elsa has seemed better. There wasn’t a single week this past December where she didn’t get out of that house at least twice and do something. She’s been calmer. He’s a good influence.”

“Mmph. You never needed me to keep you calmer.”

“No, dear,” she suppressed a smile. “I never needed you to keep me calm. But Elsa is her own person. So behave. Understood? I don’t want a repeat of when you ambushed him the first time you met.”

“That was one time!” He protested. “I’ve always behaved! They’re adults. I just, you know, don’t like surprises.” The bell rang and Agnarr stood. “I’ll get it.” The wooden floorboards creaked under his tread and he threw the door open. Alarik started. They stared at each other a moment. Agnarr saw that he had brought a block of Brunost cheese and a package of crisped bread chips. He looked over the man’s mop of unruly hair.

“Where’s Elsa?” He frowned.

“She isn’t here?” Alarik turned and looked up the street as though she would suddenly manifest.

“She already texted me!” Iduna called from inside. “She’s running a little late. She said to go ahead without her!” Agnarr turned back to Alarik who was fidgeting nervously with the food.

“I, ah – I can stay outside and wait.” Agnarr thought that sounded like a damn good idea, but cleared his throat and shook his head.

“No, no. No reason to let good Brunost go to waste.” He stepped aside. “Come in.”

But Alarik didn’t move. He was chewing on his lip. “I, um, I feel that I owe you an apology?” He glanced up nervously. “I know that we haven’t spoken in a few months, but Anna said that you didn’t know that Elsa and I were living together.” Agnarr stared down the steps at him, face impassive.

“She’s thirty, Alarik. You’re both adults. Neither of you have to tell me anything.” He raised an eyebrow. “Frankly, the less you tell me about living with one another, the better.”

“No, I know. It’s just – I wouldn’t want you to think I was trying to hide anything. Or being disrespectful.”

“If you’re concerned I’m going to try to pull some cross-department weight and have Dr. Halivand refrain from offering you a tenure track position, you needn’t worry.” He smirked. “Elsa would have my head. Now, before my wife worries about you catching your death out here, won’t you come in?”

* * * * *

“That went well,” Iduna curled into him as they lay in bed. Agnarr grunted. His daughter had arrived approximately twenty minutes into the lively conversation between Alarik and Iduna. They had always gotten along just fine, happy to discuss the latest developments in plant genetics and the Agrobacterium method. It was a little grating without Elsa there to act as a buffer or, more frequently, discuss their latest reading choices. She had apologized and taken a seat next to Alarik on the couch, leaning comfortably against him and exchanging a chaste kiss in greeting. 

Agnarr had winced internally. He could count on two hands the number of times he had seen them together. Elsa had been considerably less publicly affectionate with him eight months ago when they had all visited the botanical gardens. And she looked so much like her mother. He had seen that exact same look in those exact same blue eyes in a hundred photographs of Iduna looking at him. Alarik’s look too, although no one would mistake them for family.

“It did.”

“What’s wrong?” She asked, reaching out to smooth a lock of hair away from his face. He closed his eyes and relished Iduna’s gentle touch. Anna would never leave. She loved the city too much. She loved the people. The food. Her husband. His family. The school his granddaughter would attend. But the older Elsa grew, the more he could sense the wanderlust in her. And he didn’t want her to leave. He shrugged.

“I never have anything to talk to that man about,” he said instead. “We have nothing in common.”

“You used to say the same thing about Kristoff,” she murmured. “So I’ll tell you the same thing I told you then – you have the love for your daughter in common. You both want her to be happy. Build from there.”


End file.
